ABILENE, TEXAS — A judge in Abilene is allowing a prominent Houston lawyer to defend an airman’s ex-wife on charges she neglected their toddler daughter who died while the airman was deployed.

State District Judge Lee Hamilton on Tuesday also delayed the scheduled start next week of Tiffany Klapheke’s (klah-PEEK’) trial for at least four months so Houston attorney George Parnham can get more familiar with her case.

Parnham represented Andrea Yates, the Houston-area woman accused of killing her five children a decade ago.

Parnham says he was retained last weekend by Klahpeke’s adoptive mother. Klahpeke contends she was stressed by Dyess Air Force Base Airman Thomas Klapheke’s deployment.

She’s charged with injury to a child for the death of their 22-month-old daughter, Tamryn, whose death is blamed on dehydration and malnourishment.